Dad’s Favourite Chocolate Chip Cookies, Grain-Free

Back when I was in the middle of my chocolate chip cookie frenzy (more to do with the technical and scientific side of cookies than eating them; it’s calmed down at the moment), I made up a recipe for these chocolate chip cookies made with almonds and they were a winner, as well as immediately becoming my Dad’s favourite chocolate chip cookies.

Not only are they my Dad’s favourite out of all the chocolate chip cookies I’ve made so far but also the preferred over all the rest. If I’m making any chocolate chip cookies, I have to make at least one batch of these ones as well for him.

I had written down the recipe, a prototype of sorts (sometimes I just write recipes, measurements and all, in much the same way as I’ll write a poem or start a story and they surprisingly often work) and it only needed a few tweaks after I’d made it as written.

These chocolate chip cookies are a soft cookie with a crisp outer edge and moist and chewy inside, oozing with melted chocolate chips. The olive oil and coconut oil play off each other, resulting in an intriguing flavour that can only be described as being at once fruity and buttery. The vanilla extract balances the two oils.

Raisins or currants would make an excellent substitute and would go really well with and compliment the flavours of the almonds, olive oil, and coconut oil in the cookie if chocolate chip cookies aren’t your thing or if you want to make these cookies SCD.

What do you like to make for your dad on Father’s Day? What’s your dad’s favourite food?

Grind the blanched almonds in a small food processor or food chopper until it’s a thick, stiff paste while gradually adding the olive oil. You’ll have about 3/4 cup of paste; this is not almond butter. You may have to turn off the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Transfer the almond paste to a bowl and mix with the coconut oil and egg. The dough will be smooth, thick, and sticky. One at a time, mixing between each addition, add honey, salt, baking soda, and vanilla. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate the batter for 15 minutes. Plop a slightly heaping tablespoonful of batter per cookie on prepared sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on sheet.

Hi Suzanne, sunflower seeds could work although I wouldn’t start with a full cup since sunflower seeds are smaller than almonds and you may not need as much (I just updated the instructions with how much almond paste is made from the almonds). Good luck!

Oh, these sound soooo good, Zoe! Your dad has great taste for sure. 🙂 I’m wondering if I can make these with the almond flour I already have. I think it will work. I’ll let you know when I make them! 😉

BTW, didn’t you mean to include these in the Go Ahead Honey event for Father’s Day? “You love him, now spoil him” over at Aubree’s Living Free.

Hi Shirley, thank you. Almond flour works, just give it a whirl in the food processor. If I remember correctly, the paste may not be as thick if made from almond flour versus whole bland almonds (the almond flour will be drier than the almonds ground in the food processor, as well as possibly more finely ground) and, if so, the cookies may spread and be flat chocolate chip cookies.

Anyway, I totally forgot about the Father’s Day edition of Go Ahead Honey! Thanks for the reminder. 🙂

Mmmm, now I need to go and bake some chocolate chip cookies 🙂 Callum is so into chocolate chip cookies right now. I might just have to test out an egg-free version of this recipe on him. I’m interested in the olive oil – coconut oil combo. Your Dad is pretty lucky. xo

Hi! I just found these and thought I would give them a try. I used whole almonds with the skins (so not blanched) and they made a lovely paste (I used a magic bullet). I also subbed in erythritol/stevia for the honey (I wanted less carbs). Anyway, once I put them in the oven they went completely flat (flatter than pancakes). Any idea what I did wrong? I wouldn’t think not using honey would cause that, but I really have no idea. They were delicious, anyway!

Hi, the dough was a bit soupy (if you scooped it it would spread out on the cookie sheet, but not enough for the cookies to touch). I’m debating trying again with a little bit of coconut flour to hopefully suck up some of the excess soupy-ness.